Ed Sheeran Denied Permission to Build Private Chapel

Officials refuse the 'Perfect' singer's application for permission to build the chapel, where he reportedly plans to marry his fiancee Cherry Seaborn.

Jun 30, 2018

AceShowbiz -
Ed Sheeran will not be able to marry in his own private chapel after local planning officials refused his application for planning permission.

Ed submitted plans to build his own place of worship on his country estate in East Suffolk, England to officials at Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Councils earlier this year under the name of his fiancee Cherry Seaborn's architect father Matthew. The couple is rumoured to be planning to marry there.

However, on Friday council officials announced they were refusing him permission to build the chapel calling his plans an "unsustainable form of development" in documents seen by WENN.

They wrote that the building, which was to feature a 14.6 metre (48 foot) tower would have an "unsatisfactory" impact on the landscape due to the Thinking Out Loud singer's choice of design - a Saxon-style tower.

They wrote that the development would "create the impression of a second village church" which would be "in visual conflict with the character of the existing local landscape" and that plans to screen the tower by planting trees would take too long to take effect.

Officials also raised concerns that the distance to the tower from Ed's existing dwellings - four properties he has bought and turned into a country estate - would necessitate external lighting and create light pollution.

Neighbours of the musician had also complained that work on the chapel could disturb local newt populations, as the animals are endangered and protected by U.K. law.

However, the presence of newts was not a major factor in council officials' decision, as environmental experts accepted his assurances he would take extensive measures to mitigate any impact on the rare amphibians.

The musician did receive a warning over the extensive development of his estate near his hometown of Framlingham and a potential breach of planning rules over the creation of a pond - and was advised to notify U.K. environmental authorities about any further plans. Work already underway means his properties will eventually have two underground entertainment rooms as well as his own private pub.